Research Article | Published: 30 October 2024

Ethnogynaecological uses of herbal plants prevalent among ethnic women of Nurpur Valley in Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh (India)

Anupriya Sharma, Arti Jamwal Sharma, Priyanka Sharma, Nisha Sharma and Shreekar Pant

Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products | Volume: 31 | Issue: 3 | Page No. 175-183 | 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-UR4OAV | Cite this article

Abstract

Women of tribal communities and rural areas are hesitant to freely discuss their reproductive health issues. The lack of awareness and access to basic medical care make them more prone to gynaecological disorders and traditional medicine is their sole source of treatment. Aim of this work is to identify and document the herbs which are used by ethnic women to cure gynecological disorders in the Nurpur valley of district Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, India. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed to gather ethnogynaecological data. Quantitative analysis of collected data was done through Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Use Value (UV), Fidelity Level (FL%), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). A total of 25 medicinal plants from 24 genera and 18 families are being used for the treatment of different gynecological problems. Maximum number of medicinal plants recorded in Fabaceae and Asteraceae families. Hence, the recorded plant data would act as a foundational reference for subsequent advanced investigations on nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals agents against gynaecological problems.

Keywords

Gynaecological disorder, Himalayas, Shivalik range, Traditional medicine, Tribal

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How to cite

Sharma, A., Sharma, A.J., Sharma, P., Sharma, N. and Pant, S., 2024. Ethnogynaecological uses of herbal plants prevalent among ethnic women of Nurpur Valley in Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh (India) . Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 31(3), pp.175-183. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-UR4OAV

Publication History

Manuscript Received on 02 May 2024

Manuscript Revised on 26 June 2024

Manuscript Accepted on 28 June 2024

Manuscript Published on 30 October 2024

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